ROA conducts an annual survey among recent graduates. This report focuses primarily on graduates from the 2013-2014 academic year who were surveyed at the end of 2015. The results cover almost the entire breadth of the education sector: preparatory secondary vocational education (VMBO), the full-time MBO or VET school-based pathway (MBO BOL), the MBO or VET work-based pathway (MBO BBL), senior general secondary education (HAVO), pre-university education (VWO), full-time higher professional education (HBO) and research-oriented higher education (WO) (full-time master’s programme). The report contains further analyses on labour market entry by young people of Western and non-Western minority backgrounds and the labour market relevance of MBO programmes.

A number of conclusions are shown below:

Recent graduates 2013-2014

• Unemployment is falling though still high for a number groups
  Although young people are benefiting from the pick-up in the economy, the rates of unemployment are still comparatively high. Particularly for those who have a degree in the ‘Economy’ and ‘Behaviour and Society’ sectors.

• Hidden unemployment among MBO graduates
  Of all MBO graduates in work, 34% would like to work more hours than allowed under their contract. Among MBO graduates who work less than 12 hours a week, almost two-thirds would like to work more hours.

• Graduates are more positive about their study programme as a good basis for entering the labour market and for further developing their knowledge and skills
  The improvements in the labour market are also reflected in young people’s opinion of their programme. Following a six-year decline, in 2015 we have noted for the first time that graduates are more positive about their programme as a basis for entering the labour market and for further developing their knowledge and skills.

• Information about professional opportunities unsatisfactory
  Only one out of three MBO and HBO graduates is satisfied with the information provided on professional opportunities by their programme. This is an alarming result given that it concerns vocational programmes. The low level of satisfaction would seem to be of a structural nature. 

Labour market relevance of MBO programmes: a further analysis

• Considerable variation in chances of work and working at educational level
  MBO vocational programmes show considerable variation in labour market outcomes for the period 2011–2015. Over the past five years, the unemployment rate ranges from 0% to 28%. The labour market outcome on the extent to which graduates work in a job appropriate to their level or better ranges from a mere 30% to almost 100%.

• Finding work ≠ finding quality work
  Vocational programmes offering a high chance of finding paid work do not always offer a high chance of finding work for at least 12 hours a week or work that is appropriate to the graduate’s educational level or better.

• Labour market relevance and programme characteristics
  Labour market relevance is closely associated with the question of the extent to which a vocational programme offers a work-based MBO BBL pathway in addition to a school-based MBO BOL pathway. The fact that employers make available work-based MBO BBL placements to train young people for certain vocations, shows that employers have a demand for these graduates and that they do not regard students of work-based MBO BBL programmes merely as ‘cheap’ labour.

• Poor job prospects = regret after the fact but not a priority at the outset
  Young people in preparatory vocational secondary education (VMBO) who have opted for a specific MBO programme rarely base their choice on indicators linked to labour market relevance. The consequences of their choice only becomes evident when they enter the labour market. The analyses reveal that poor job prospects for vocational programmes lead graduates to regret their choice of programme.

Labour market entry: the role of ethic origin 2011–2015

• Higher chance of unemployment only marginally explained by educational background
  In the period surveyed from 2011–2015, non-native Dutch young people of non-Western and Western origin have a higher chance of unemployment, where the disadvantage for young people of non-Western origin is significantly higher than for those of Western origin. This applies not only to young people holding a diploma for a lower level of MBO education, but also to higher professional education (HBO) graduates. The greater chance of unemployment experienced by young people of Western and non-Western origin, moreover, is hardly explained by, for instance, the MBO learning pathway they have followed, or the MBO or HBO programme they have chosen.

• Problem greater in MBO vocational programmes preparing for work in the private sector and for professions dealing directly with customers
  The extent of the disadvantage for MBO graduates appears to be linked to the labour market sector for which they are being trained in vocational programmes: the government as a potential employer for graduates reduces the disadvantage experienced by young people of non-Western origin, whereas the disadvantage is greater for vocational programmes that prepare students for positions requiring considerable interpersonal communication skills.

• Ambivalent picture when young people have found a job
  The answer to the question whether these problems in young people’s search for paid work also translate to a disadvantage once they have found a job is ambivalent. We have found a clear distinction between young people who already had one foot in the door of the labour market during their study programme (work-based MBO BBL pathway) and young people who mostly studied in the classroom (school-based MBO BOL pathway and higher professional education). In the first group we have found that there is hardly any difference between the positions Dutch native young people and young people of either a Western or non-Western origin have acquired. In the second group, and more evidently among graduates of school-based MBO BOL programmes, we have found that the lower chance of finding work also translated to a disadvantage where the actual quality of the work is concerned (a lower level job or less job security, for instance).

More figures on website 
The website 'Kerncijfers  Schoolverlatersonderzoeken’  (‘Key figures from recent graduate surveys’) offers the opportunity to easily obtain all figures from the recent graduates surveys carried out by ROA. Along with a summary of the latest results, the website offers a summary of the figures derived from previous measurements among recent graduates in Dutch education.

The full report can be downloaded from www.roa.nl